2025 - How to Read a Book

Monica Wood is a novelist, memoirist, and playwright. She is the 2024 winner of the Sara Josepha Hale award, honoring contributions to the literary arts in New England. Her most recent novel, How to Read a Book is a national bestseller about a chance encounter at a bookstore, exploring redemption, unlikely friendships, and the life-changing power of sharing stories. Her novel, The One-in-a-Million Boy, has been published in 22 languages in 30 countries and won a 2017 Nautilus Award (Gold) and the New England Society Book Award.

Bring your Lake Oswego Public Library card or number (and your friend's card if picking up multiple books) to receive a free copy of How to Read a Book by Monica Wood! 

Bring your Lake Oswego Public Library card or number (and your friend's card if picking up multiple books) to receive a free copy of How to Read a Book by Monica Wood! 

Through meticulous folding and hand-carving techniques, Melody breathes new life into discarded books, transforming them into intricate pieces of art.

Through meticulous folding and hand-carving techniques, Melody breathes new life into discarded books, transforming them into intricate pieces of art.

Visit West Waluga Park to read our newest StoryWalk® installation, "I Am a Story." Author-illustrator Dan Yaccarino presents a powerful picture book that celebrates storytelling from the past to the present and beyond.

Visit West Waluga Park to read our newest StoryWalk® installation, "I Am a Story." Author-illustrator Dan Yaccarino presents a powerful picture book that celebrates storytelling from the past to the present and beyond.

Join a group of other readers to exchange thoughts, opinions, and questions inspired by How To Read a Book. A free discussion led by LOPL librarian April Younglove.

Join a group of other readers to exchange thoughts, opinions, and questions inspired by How To Read a Book. A free discussion led by LOPL librarian April Younglove.

Don't miss this chance to explore the profound impact of music on our lives and communities with musician and composer Michael Charles Smith.

Don't miss this chance to explore the profound impact of music on our lives and communities with musician and composer Michael Charles Smith.

Speakers from Portland Books Through Bars and other local organizations will dive into their history, their work, and how it relates to our LO Reads 2025 selection.

Speakers from Portland Books Through Bars and other local organizations will dive into their history, their work, and how it relates to our LO Reads 2025 selection.

Attorney Peter Glazer and Clackamas County D.A. John Wentworth will cover the history of drunk driving laws in Oregon and how prosecutions are handled now.

Attorney Peter Glazer and Clackamas County D.A. John Wentworth will cover the history of drunk driving laws in Oregon and how prosecutions are handled now.

Join us for a Lake Oswego Reads celebration of books with a presentation by Melody Bush from 11-12 along with treats, prizes and a book swap.

Join us for a Lake Oswego Reads celebration of books with a presentation by Melody Bush from 11-12 along with treats, prizes and a book swap.

An introduction to the art of bookmaking. Learn basic terminology and tools to create a finished book perfect for sketching, journaling, or gifting. 

An introduction to the art of bookmaking. Learn basic terminology and tools to create a finished book perfect for sketching, journaling, or gifting. 

Join artists for a memorable evening as they explain the art they created after reading How To Read a Book.

Join artists for a memorable evening as they explain the art they created after reading How To Read a Book.

Reiko Hillyer discusses the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, which brings fifteen incarcerated individuals and fifteen undergraduate students together.

Reiko Hillyer discusses the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, which brings fifteen incarcerated individuals and fifteen undergraduate students together.

In this session you will learn how the entire book business is made up of people that care about what you are reading and what you will be reading in the near future.

In this session you will learn how the entire book business is made up of people that care about what you are reading and what you will be reading in the near future.

Coffee Creek Correctional Facility Superintendent Nichole Brown talks about The Oregon Way program and how it affects the carceral system. 

Coffee Creek Correctional Facility Superintendent Nichole Brown talks about The Oregon Way program and how it affects the carceral system. 

Bring the entire family to the Children’s Library for a reading of the picture book, How to Read a Book by Kwame Alexander. Copies of the book will be available for free while supplies last.

Bring the entire family to the Children’s Library for a reading of the picture book, How to Read a Book by Kwame Alexander. Copies of the book will be available for free while supplies last.

Together we will identify our own tools of resilience and with black paper, colored pencils, and acrylic markers we will create a colorful map representing our resilience.

Together we will identify our own tools of resilience and with black paper, colored pencils, and acrylic markers we will create a colorful map representing our resilience.

Open to all devotees of romance and happily-ever-afters. We read widely in the genre, focusing on diverse voices and including every kind of love story.

Open to all devotees of romance and happily-ever-afters. We read widely in the genre, focusing on diverse voices and including every kind of love story.

Lauren Kessler is an award-winning narrative nonfiction writer who specializes in exploring invisible subcultures in our midst.

Lauren Kessler is an award-winning narrative nonfiction writer who specializes in exploring invisible subcultures in our midst.

Bekah Raftery will discuss their work with groups in prisons across Oregon through Insight Alliance. 

Bekah Raftery will discuss their work with groups in prisons across Oregon through Insight Alliance. 

Please join the Lakewood Center Associates to learn more about the history of the Lake Oswego Reads program.

Please join the Lakewood Center Associates to learn more about the history of the Lake Oswego Reads program.

The Lake Oswego Public Library invites teens to read diversely and meet on the Third Thursday of every month for snacks and a lively book discussion. All participants are eligible to receive a free copy of the book.

The Lake Oswego Public Library invites teens to read diversely and meet on the Third Thursday of every month for snacks and a lively book discussion. All participants are eligible to receive a free copy of the book.

Join your hosts, Jamie and Carissa, for a special Thursday night of good old-fashioned brain games. We will have more fun trivia questions, Lake Oswego Reads tie-ins, and a Powell's gift card!

Join your hosts, Jamie and Carissa, for a special Thursday night of good old-fashioned brain games. We will have more fun trivia questions, Lake Oswego Reads tie-ins, and a Powell's gift card!

Join Restorative Justice Coordinator for Clackamas County, Miles Range, as he provides an overview of restorative justice and the plan for implementing a deeper program in Clackamas County.

Join Restorative Justice Coordinator for Clackamas County, Miles Range, as he provides an overview of restorative justice and the plan for implementing a deeper program in Clackamas County.

Death row investigator and author Rene Denfeld discusses the devastating impact of mass incarceration in Oregon. How do we fix the damage that has been done?

Death row investigator and author Rene Denfeld discusses the devastating impact of mass incarceration in Oregon. How do we fix the damage that has been done?

Join a group of other readers to exchange thoughts, opinions, and questions inspired by How To Read a Book. A free discussion led by LOPL librarian Josh Macias.

Join a group of other readers to exchange thoughts, opinions, and questions inspired by How To Read a Book. A free discussion led by LOPL librarian Josh Macias.

Through the reading and discussion of acclaimed works of fact and fiction, we seek greater appreciation of the rich diversity of life, to build understanding, empathy, and connection in our world.

Through the reading and discussion of acclaimed works of fact and fiction, we seek greater appreciation of the rich diversity of life, to build understanding, empathy, and connection in our world.

Together we will identify our own tools of resilience and with black paper, colored pencils, and acrylic markers we will create a colorful map representing our resilience.

Together we will identify our own tools of resilience and with black paper, colored pencils, and acrylic markers we will create a colorful map representing our resilience.

With the release this year of the movie, Sing Sing, prison arts programs are in the national conversation. However, prison arts practitioners have been working within Oregon’s prisons for over a decade.

With the release this year of the movie, Sing Sing, prison arts programs are in the national conversation. However, prison arts practitioners have been working within Oregon’s prisons for over a decade.

A Norwegian documentary about a painter who befriended the criminal who stole two of her paintings. A lesson in the art of forgiveness shown with English subtitles.

The Library's World Cinema Series is a monthly event showcasing diverse international films. This series takes place at The Lake Theater & Cafe.

A Norwegian documentary about a painter who befriended the criminal who stole two of her paintings. A lesson in the art of forgiveness shown with English subtitles.

The Library's World Cinema Series is a monthly event showcasing diverse international films. This series takes place at The Lake Theater & Cafe.

Thanks to the Friends of Lake Oswego Public Library, Ms. Wood will be with us for an in-person presentation on May 1st to discuss her book How To Read a Book and to answer questions from the Lake Oswego community.

Thanks to the Friends of Lake Oswego Public Library, Ms. Wood will be with us for an in-person presentation on May 1st to discuss her book How To Read a Book and to answer questions from the Lake Oswego community.